Fragrances -Elizabeth Arden - Sunflowers
MissBehaviour 6/6/2012 12:13:00 PM
I am completely baffled at the overall low rating for this product when much more expensive fragrances that seem to have fallen off the blandwagon of modern perfumery rake in an 80% + approval rating... that aside, this was not a cheap drugstore scent when it was first launched and it in no way smells cheap today despite the bargainous price. Don't let its lack of overpriced marketing campaigns fool you into thinking that this isn't worth trying. I never wore Sunflowers in the early 90s (when I was a teenager) because I was a staunch CK One disciple at the time. My loss, because Sunflowers is that rare fragrance creature: a scent both floral and sweet without being a bludgeoner or in any way cloying, an EDT with better sillage and lasting power than most modern luxury perfumes, and a smell that is suited to every age range, stage in life, and many occasions. It smells radiant, positive, a little citrussy, a little flowery, feminine but not insipid, simply very, very nice. I can see this one working as a pick-me-up in winter and as a delightful floral refresher on a hot day. This one's a keeper in my permanent fragrance lineup.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Salvador Dali-Laguna
MissBehaviour 5/31/2012 12:46:00 PM
I would never in a million years have given the Salvador Dali drugstore perfume brand a try if it hadn't been for Luca Turin's perfume guide. Laguna is available in a tiny 15 ml bottle at my local drugstore and retails for 4,95 EUR in that size, so an absolute bargain. The scent is quite sheer on me, though with decent lasting power for an EDT. I would describe this as a mixture of green, herbal notes with a hint of fruit overlaid by an aquatic feel, a bit like a less lush, sweet and potent version of Cacharel's Eden (which I love.) This is an interesting, evocative fragrance that doesn't aim to please by pushing all the usual buttons, but I find it a little too wan and melancholy on me. I think this is a true unisex scent and I would urge anyone to try it out, I just don't think I will buy the full size when I'm finished with my tiny bottle.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Alyssa Ashley - Musk
MissBehaviour 5/29/2012 12:13:00 PM
I'm a big lover of cheap and cheerful drugstore musks and always game to try a new one (or old but new to me one, in this case.) I especially adored the idea of adding a musk fragrance to my collection that's been around since 1968. Unfortunately, I didn't get on with the two formulations of Alyssa Ashley that I tried (edt and perfume oil.) Anyone interested in this scent should skip the edt: after a short, sheer burst of sweetness with a hint of green peeping through, the scent evaporated from my skin after less than 10 minutes. I actually thought I might be anosmic to it, but trying the edp and the oil put that fear to rest. The perfume oil I purchased is the purse-size little vial with the stick applicator, packaging that is both tacky and adorable at the same time, and so convenient for travel. Shame, then, that the perfume oil is totally cloying on me and seems to aggravate my sinuses. I don't detect much of anything floral here, just strong, flat baby powder soapiness. The worst thing is that once dry down has been mostly completed, I am left with what I perceive as a burnt plastic smell lingering on my skin which is very unpleasant. Despite their average to poor lasting power, I vastly prefer Jovan Musk and The Body Shop's White Musk in perfume oil formulation to Alyssa Ashley's, as both Jovan's and The Body Shop's musk formulations have a bit more floral depth with none of the bitter, cloying, thickly artificial dry down.
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Mascara -La Roche Posay - Respectissime
MissBehaviour 5/11/2012 9:42:00 AM
I hate to be the odd one out here with my negative review, especially because I adore lots of LRP products. This mascara was pretty much a total dud for me though. While it was gentle enough on my very sensitive eyes, the formula clumps like crazy. Oddly, it is also quite tricky to remove with LRPs own brand eye makeup remover. Not impressed and can not wait for the tube to be empty so I can cut my losses and move on.
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Fragrances -Cacharel - Eden
MissBehaviour 5/11/2012 9:35:00 AM
I absolutely adore this fragrance. I understand that it has been officially discontinued, but I found a bottle easily enough in a local department store here in Germany and suspect it is still available in other European countries as well as online. The opening notes may be what makes this fragrance difficult for some to appreciate. There is an initial earthy, mulchy, foresty mustiness to it that dissipates very quickly on me. What follows is simply the most divine lush green floral experience with a hint of mint glowing through and a bit of damp sweetness. Even without the suggestive name, this conjures up images of plants, undergrowth, grottos and how the air smells in a forest on a summer day right after it rains. Sillage and lasting power are good, even on my fragrance-eating skin. Let me save some potential future reviewers of this scent gem some time. If you are sensitive to everything but the lightest, sheerest fragrances, do not wear Eden. If you hate patchouli, ditto. If you wear sporty-clean scents mostly, skip Eden. To everyone who is ready to try a complex, rich, and deeply sexy fragrance that is not as anaemic as your average deodorant or simply as candy sweet as a Jolly Rancher, this one is worth hunting down and trying. And once you have fallen for it, leave a positive review...I live in hope that Cacharel might consider relaunching this great fragrance.
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Lip Treatments -La Roche Posay - Nutritic - Lips
MissBehaviour 5/1/2012 3:53:00 PM
It's surprisingly difficult to find unscented lip balms suitable for sensitive skin, so I was happy to try this out. Upon application it feels immediately soothing and comforting without being overly greasy, and it is very gentle both on lips and the surrounding skin. I live in Germany and find the price a tad high for what it is, but it's nothing close to as expensive as some of the dollar prices quoted in other reviews...not sure I would recommend this at inflated overseas price points. For those travelling to Europe though, this is definitely worth a try and is a solid product.
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Lip Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Bepanthen salve
MissBehaviour 5/1/2012 3:46:00 PM
Bepanthen ointment is a household staple in most German homes. It's great at soothing irritated/chapped lips, small cuts and chafing, windburn, rough cuticles, dry patches on skin, etc etc. I always have a tube of this in my medicine cabinet and never forget to pack a tube when travelling. Great all-purpose, no frills product with immediate effect!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -La Roche Posay - Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser
MissBehaviour 5/1/2012 2:52:00 PM
I have extremely sensitive, allergy prone skin and can only use very gentle, fragrance free facial products that are not too harsh or stripping. Finding a face wash that fits that bill has been very challenging, this product being my current favourite and the one I have had the most overall success with. Due to my skin's sensitivity, I have a pretty conservative wish list where face washes are concerned: I don't want it to aggravate my skin and to act as a mild, non-abrasive/scrubby exfoliator to use once or twice a week (in conjunction with my normal makeup remover and washing my face only with water most mornings.) This cleanser ticks those boxes. Even though it is formulated for normal to combination skin and my skin is sensitive leaning towards dry, I have had good results. My skin looks a bit brighter after use, is not overly stripped of moisture (though I do need to moisturise right after), and it doesn't make me break out. In the winter/central heating period it can be a bit too harsh for me, so I wind down use to once a week or so. The best thing about this product is that it is fragrance and paraben free, so I will continue to purchase until LRP bring out something even better.
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Cleansers -La Roche Posay - Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser
MissBehaviour 5/1/2012 2:42:00 PM
I think very highly of the La Roche Posay brand and count several of their products as holy grail staples. This one, unfortunately, didn't make the grade. As a few reviewers have already mentioned, this cleanser doesn't deal too well with some mascaras and eyeshadows (I don't wear much, and never waterproof). What's even more regrettable is that the product broke me out somewhat after a while, so it is a cleanser I can only use for short term stints. I was torn between a 2 and 3 star rating and have decided on 3 based on the fact that my skin didn't sting after using this and other, less sensitive skin types will probably enjoy this product. I won't repurchase though.
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Moisturizers -La Roche Posay - Toleriane Ultra
MissBehaviour 5/1/2012 1:26:00 PM
After having used this moisturiser for nearly half a year I feel it is one of the best options out there for people who have extremely sensitive, reactive, and allergy prone skin like mine (with mild psoriasis and I suspect rosacea thrown in for good measure!!) Initially I balked at the high price for what is a small vial of cream, but a little goes a long way with this stuff, and the hygienic packaging with a "lockeable" dispenser top is fantastic. My skin remains smooth and clear after using this moisturiser; there's no stinging or resultant rash or blocked pores, and it absorbs quickly, making it a good base for makeup. The only "drawback" (and it is a minor one and very much dependent on your geographical location) is that during harsh winter months when central heating and cold weather wreak havoc on my skin, I have to alternate using this with something more moisturising (in my case German brand Stiefel's Physiogel cream--another highly recommended product.) All I can say is that if you're in the market for a moisturiser with a short ingredient list that doesn't include a lot of the nasties most people are avoiding now and is friendly to difficult skin, this is very much worth a try. Staple for me.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Lily Lolo - Ooh La La
MissBehaviour 8/23/2011 3:42:00 AM
Like one of the previous reviewers, I bought this because of its similarity to one of my favourite blushers, Clinique Precious Posy. The colour (a strong pinkish peach) is very similar, but where Clinique's product has a slight goldeny shimmer (reminiscent of Nars Orgasm), Ooh La La is completely matte. The effect is very natural, even on my very pale skin, and I find the blush builds and blends well, lasts all day and is very flattering. Great choice for pale ladies who don't want a shimmery blush product. Will definitely repurchase this one along with another winner from this line, Candy Girl.
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Blush -Lily Lolo - Candy Girl
MissBehaviour 8/23/2011 3:36:00 AM
This is lends a pretty, youthful, and very natural-looking flush to my pale skin with a tiny bit of subtle shimmer. A little goes a long way, but I find the application super easy with the new sifter pots (which have a mechanism that allows one to completely close or only partially open the holes, thereby giving much more control over the amount used.) I sprinkle a tiny amount into the lid and use a normal blush brush to buff in. Builds well and lasts all day on me, doesn't look garish on my very pale skin. I'd say this is Lily Lolo's version of Benefit's Dandelion, so if you like that one Candy Girl is well worth a try. Highly recommend. EDIT August 2012: I have subtracted 2 lippies from my former rating since this has been turning on me lately, possibly oxidizing with my facial moisturiser and turning an odd shade of metallic fuchsia on my skin...not a good look for pale skin and too obvious for office wear now, I'm afraid.
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Lip Gloss -Lavera - Lipgloss with Organic Jojoba in No. 6
MissBehaviour 7/29/2011 4:35:00 PM
I own this gloss in the shade "Magic Red". The consistency is quite thin, almost runny if you're used to standard petroleum-based, "non-natural" brand lipglosses, but on the upside the formulation is very moisturising and pleasantly lightweight on the lips. My two major gripes are that the shade is almost imperceptible once on the lips, and that this gloss requires constant reapplication as it doesn't last.
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Mascara -Unlisted Brand - Sante- Volume Mascara
MissBehaviour 7/24/2011 5:32:00 AM
I am generally a big fan of the affordable, natural skincare company SANTE (which is widely available at moderate prices here in Germany.) This mascara, however, is a massive dud. I have given one point for the fact that it is actually available in brown, not just black, and one point because it didn't irritate my eyes in the short time I have used it. What it does do, however, is clump and crumble in a way I haven't experienced with any mascara formulation in the last 10+ years or so. Terrible. I'd rather go without than wear this.
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Blush -Lily Lolo - Blush in Doll Face
MissBehaviour 7/23/2011 10:38:00 AM
I have been a LL customer since 2006 and have ummed and ahhed over whether I needed Doll Face in my life for all this time. Now that I have finally succumbed to its lure, I can say that this is a highlighter and most definitely not a blusher, and I feel that I am ghostly pale enough to speak with some authority over its complete lack of colour pigment showing on my skin. I wish LL would shift this product from their blusher category and into their bronzers and shimmers category. Yes, Dollface is incredibly sparkly and requires a very light hand and a good brush that allows you to diffuse some of that insane sparkle evenly over the skin. As a highlighter it looks quite beautiful and gives that magically dewey, sheeny look that is completely at home at a club or as part of an evening makeup look, but totally out of place at the office. I suspect it will also look great over other blushers to add some sheen. Buy if you already own one of their more pigmented blushers to layer this over,or if you are simply in the market for a sparkley highlighter. Save your money if you have mature skin (will highlight lines), very visible pores (will highlight them too), or uneven skin tone (ditto.)
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